President Donald Trump hosts Xi Jinping in Washington, where the Chinese leader pushes cooperation as tensions over AI, trade and Taiwan hang over the relationship.
Plus, Benjamin Netanyahu attacks New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani from the U.N. stage, escalating a feud that’s now spilling into Israeli politics.
And it’s officially Dolly Parton Day: Cities across the country are celebrating on 9/25 with parades, tributes and, naturally, plenty of rhinestones.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
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Xi wraps up US visit as he and Trump talk trade, Taiwan and AI
Chinese President Xi Jinping wraps up his visit to Washington on Friday after a day of high-stakes talks with Trump.
Trump rolled out the red carpet for Xi again Thursday night, hosting a state dinner to mark the Chinese leader’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade. Despite tensions between the U.S. and China, Xi spent much of the visit discussing where the two countries can work together.
He said China’s push for what he calls the “great rejuvenation” and Trump’s promise to “make America great again” can go hand in hand. But Xi also warned against what’s known as the “Thucydides trap,” the idea that a rising power challenging an established one can ultimately lead to war.
Xi’s point: the U.S. and China don’t have to end up there. He made a similar argument when the two leaders met in Beijing in May.
Meanwhile, Trump kept things friendly.
“As the leaders of our two nations, President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure, and we’ve never gotten along better since the first trade ships from New York left the harbor to arrive on the banks of the Pearl River. Americans and Chinese have always exchanged goods, knowledge, customs and ideas. This has been the foundation of commerce and mutual respect between our countries, and together we can continue to build a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations.”
President Donald Trump
Behind all that diplomacy, though, remain some big disagreements. The two leaders talked trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan, all areas where the U.S. and China remain deeply at odds. Xi said the two sides reached “common understanding on many issues.”
On Friday, Xi and his wife are scheduled to join the president and first lady for a private tea, then tour the National Archives before heading home to China.
Trump, Speaker Johnson to meet with AI leaders at the White House
People building AI warn it may be moving too fast, but Trump isn’t buying it. Now, they’re about to get in a room together.
Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with some of AI’s biggest names next week. Multiple reports have said the meeting will take place on Tuesday at the White House.
It’s unclear which tech CEOs will attend, but some of the industry’s biggest names were already at the White House for Thursday’s state dinner with Xi, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg.
The pressure on Washington to put guardrails around AI continues to grow. Some of the people building the most powerful AI models are now warning of catastrophic risks if development moves too fast.
Johnson’s solution? Get Trump and the AI CEOs to “go in a big room, close the door and sort this out.”
Trump, though, has repeatedly dismissed those warnings, calling fears about AI destroying humanity a “hoax.” His concern has been different: slow down too much, and the U.S. risks losing the AI race to China.
Netanyahu, Mamdani trade attacks after Israeli prime minister’s UN speech
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used part of his U.N. speech Thursday to take aim at someone much closer to home: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Netanyahu accused Mamdani of antisemitism and said Jewish New Yorkers have told him they no longer feel safe in the city.
“Shame on you. Shame on you for distorting the facts. Shame on you for inverting victim and aggressor. Shame on you for spitting in the face of truth. Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me. They tell me, this isn’t the city we remember. It changed so quickly.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Mamdani wasn’t there, and delegates from dozens of countries walked out before Netanyahu spoke.
The mayor responded in a statement, saying, “Yet no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Netanyahu denies those charges.
Shortly before the speech, Mamdani posted a wordless video of the mayor planting an olive tree at Gracie Mansion and sharing a meal with Palestinian families from Gaza. His caption: “May peace be our future.”
These two have been clashing for months. Mamdani has called Netanyahu a war criminal and urged the federal government to arrest him.
In a video posted earlier this week, Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and inciting riots against Jewish New Yorkers. Mamdani has condemned Hamas as a terrorist organization, and according to The New York Times, there have been no riots targeting Jewish New Yorkers since he took office.
ממדאני – אני בא לאו״ם כדי להילחם על האמת של החיילים הגיבורים שלנו – וכדי לחשוף את האמת עליך! pic.twitter.com/141PPbSFHm
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 22, 2026
And Mamdani is now showing up in Israeli politics.
Netanyahu is running for re-election next month. His Likud party has put Mamdani’s face on campaign billboards in Israel, right there alongside the leaders of Iran, Turkey and Hezbollah.
Netanyahu also posted an AI-generated campaign video earlier this month, imagining Mamdani and other Netanyahu opponents celebrating his defeat.
Man shot during 2024 Trump assassination attempt dies
One of the people shot during the 2024 assassination attempt on Trump has died.
House Republicans shared a photo of James Copenhaver, 76, who died Wednesday at a Pittsburgh hospital, surrounded by his family.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver, who was gravely wounded in the horrific shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance.
We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them… pic.twitter.com/wmAMjp2lAz
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) September 24, 2026
Copenhaver was sitting in the bleachers at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire. He was shot in the arm and abdomen and left with lingering injuries. He later walked with a cane.
Trump was grazed in the ear.
Two other people in the crowd were also shot. David Dutch survived. Corey Comperatore was killed while shielding his family from the gunfire.
At this time, it’s unclear whether Copenhaver’s death was related to the wounds he suffered that day. The medical examiner said the cause and manner of death are still pending.
Copenhaver and his wife sued the federal government in June, accusing the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security of “utterly failing” to protect people at the rally.
Trump remembered Copenhaver on Thursday as a “true American patriot,” calling his death a “tremendous loss.”
Federal review ends for Trump arch, final approval still pending
Trump’s massive arch near Arlington National Cemetery is one step closer to reality. A federal preservation agency has ended its review with local officials of the project’s impact on nearby historic sites.
There’s been plenty of pushback. The administration itself, through the National Park Service, said the 250-foot arch would have “adverse effects” on the area.
Virginia officials said it would “mar” the landscape around Arlington National Cemetery. They wanted the administration to consider changes, including shrinking or moving it.
Now the federal preservation council, led by a Trump appointee, has ended that process. In a letter, it said: “We are hereby terminating consultation.” That means the administration can move forward without reaching an agreement with Virginia and D.C. officials.
The council will send its final comments to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum by Oct. 7. He’ll then decide whether to move forward.
And remember, Trump recently added a new purpose for his arch. He said it will also serve as a military complex.
America celebrates Dolly Parton Day
If you haven’t already, “tumble out of bed” and stumble into the kitchen… then pour yourself a cup of you-know-what because Friday is “Dolly Parton Day.” Cities and states across the country are making it official by celebrating the late singer on Sept. 25, aka “9/25.” (See what they did there?)
Nashville, where Parton spent most of her life, has a full day of festivities planned, featuring tributes and special events across the city.
But Dolly’s love extends well beyond Tennessee. New Orleans is holding a parade in her honor, and in San Francisco, “rhinestones and ruffles are encouraged” at its Dolly Day celebration.
If channeling Dolly’s giving spirit is more your speed, her Imagination Library encourages people to support local programs that put free books in kids’ hands. You can find one near you at imaginationlibrary.com.
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